Hat press



ug 18, 1931- G. clPRlANo 1,819,592

HAT PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 18, 1931. G. CIPRIANO '1,319,592

HAT PRESS Filed Aug. 13, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR GAA/001.1@ C/PlA/VO ATroRNEYS Patented Aug. 18, 19:31r

PATENT OFFICE GANDOLFO CIPRIANO, OF DONGAN HILLS, NEW YORK HAT PRESS Application filed August 13, 1930. Serial No. 474,967.

This invention relates to a machine or press for shaping hats and the primary object of the improvement is to render the y operating mechanism for such presses more efficient when applying the initial pressure 'to the hat and to make the operation more .convenient and rapid.

The improvement consists in the novel arrangement of levers whereby through the 1'0 major portion of the closing movement of the press power is applied at one ratio of leverage while at the very end of the movement when the pressure needs to be at the maximum the leverage is greatly increased. A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the press; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the press in its open position;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the press nearly closed; and

Figure 4 is a view showing the position of the levers when the press is completely closed.

Referring to Figure 1, a base 1 of more or less triangular form is provided with legs 2 and uprights'3. rlhese rods at their upper ends support a stationary head which head isv provided with the usual dome 5 shown in section in Figure 2and secured to the head 4 by bolts so as to make a watertight enclosure. The usual pressure gauge 6 and valve' are provided and there is also a pipe 8 which leads to a pump for supplying hydraulic pressure to the dome. A rubber bag 10 approximating the shape of a n l hat depends through an aperture in the head v and communicates with the dome, the dome and bag being normally lled with fluid, preferably water, indicated at 11 in Figure 2. The mold 12 in the present construction is movable and as shown is preferably mounted on the top of a cylindrical plunger 14 suitably guided in a cylindrical support 16 forming a part of the base, bearings indicated at 17 and 18, Figure 3, serve to guide the plunger in its vertical movement, these bearings being sufficiently spaced apart to give an easy motion with the least friction, nevertheless to rigidly and accurately guide the plunger.

A tank 9 is connected to the dome for supplying water theretoy when more is required and to receive surplus water according to the contour of the hat die, different shaped hats requiring different quantities of water to be initially present in the dome.

The mold carries a die indicated at 19 and a hat indicated at 20 is shown in position to be shaped according to the contour of the die through pressure brought to bear through the bag 10 when the press is closed and hydraulic pressure applied. In order to properly place the hat within the die it is necessary to open the press and such open position is shown in Figure 2. During 'the closing movement of the press comparatively little force is needed until the die and bag are in substantial contact. From this point it is desired to increase the pressure considerably. By my improved construction a large portion of this is applied during the last part of the movement of the operating lever' and consequently a very littlemovement of the hydraulic pump is necessary.

In order to counterbalance the weight of the mold and its supporting cylinder, lugs 26, Figure l, project from the mold and to these are attached the ends of .chains 28 which pass over pulleys 29 journaled on the shaft 30. The other endof the chains connect to a cross shaft 31 which carries counterweights 32 shown in Figures 1 and 3. Brace rods 34 are connected between the upper portion of the cylindrical support 16 and the uprights 3 to give the proper rigidity to the frame.

My improved arrangement for giving a quick initial pressure to a hat within the mold comprises a lever 36 pivoted centrally on a cross shaft 37 supported in the plunger 14 as shown in Figure 1. n

Carried bythe cylindrical support 16 is a shaft 38 to which is connected the main operating'lever 40, Figures 1 and 3. From Figure 1 it will be seen that the plunger 14 has a comparatively wide slot extending longitudinally through it for the purpose of lar giving the necessary freedom of motion to the lever 36 and its associated parts. Nithin this slot and fixed on the shaft 38 are two levers 42 bothv of which are shown in Figure l, and one of which is shown in the other figures. heoretically only one lever 42 would be necessary buU in order to give the desirable ease of motion and balance to the parts, two such levers are provided.

There are also provided two members 44 each pivoted at 46 to its adjacent lever 42 and both pivoted to the lower end of lever 36 at 48. The members 44 are so designated because at times they act as links and at other times as levers. The reason for providing two of these members is the same as the reason for providing two levers 42 although theoretiea ly only one member 44 is necessary. T he lever 4Q is theV main operating lever and when the press is substantially closed but before the initial pressure is applied, it occupies a 1position which is approximately that shown in Figure 3. When, however, the press is open as shown in Figure 2 the lever has been moved to a position which is approximately 900 from its former position.

Assuming then the parts to be in the position of Figure 2 with the press open and the plunger 14 at its lowest point, upward movement of the lever will result in rocking the shaft 38 and with it the levers 42 lcarrying with them the pivot 46. The members 44 will then act as linkages between the leiers42 and the lever 35 and "will transmit mt tion to said lever and raise the mold from theI position shown in Figure 2. It will be noted that the members 44 have arc-shaped portions below the pivot 48, the arcs of which correspond in radius to the shaft 38. These arc portions are at such a distance from the pivot 46 that when the lever 36 and levers 42 Yhave reaehed :the position shown in Figure 3 the arcs .50 of the members 44 are in contact with the shaft 38. The pivot 4G, however, is not at this time in line with the centers of the shafts 37 and 38, From this point on the member 44 no longer act as links but as levers and pivot about the shaft ,3S center. t will also be noted that the effective length of the lever 40 in respect vof the length of the'levers 42 is such as to give approximately a leverage of l :to 4 during the mov-ement of the parts from the position shown in F ign-re 2 to `the position shown in Figure 3. lVhen, however, the parts have reached this position and the lever 40 continues its I, movenient the members 44 become the active levers and act upon the lever 36 through the pivot 48. Power is then transmit-ted from the lever 4i() .to the mold l2 ata ratio measur-odL by the length of the effective varm y40 as compared with tliedistance between the cen-ter of the sha-ft V38 and the center of the pivot 48. This leverage as shown is approximately 16 to l. Then the lever 40 has been moved to its extreme position the parts assume a position with the pivot 48 in line with the shafts 87 and 38, or very slightly beyond dead center as shown in Figure 4. A pressure of 70 to 80 pounds has then been applied tothe hat, and the `final pressure necessary to give to the hat the exact coutour of the die is supplied by the usual hydraulic pump 22, operated by a lever 24.

During the opening movement of the press it is desirable to disengage the members 44 from contact with the shaft 38 at an early stage of the return of the parts and this is accomplished by a pin 52 connecting the members 44. As the parts move from the Figure 4 position towards Figure 3 position, the pin 52 is positioned in contact with a shoulder on the lever 36 which results in the locking together of the lever and levers 44. Further downward movement from this position will result in the rocking of the members 44 about their pivots 4G and the disengaging of the arcuate portions thereof from the the shaft 38.

. ln order that the lever system may work with as little noise as possible, a bent arm of spring metal is attached to the lever 36 and as the press is closed this arm engages a lug 55 on the base. The bent arm -54 carries a pin 56 which is surrounded by a coiled spring 58. These-parts serve to hold the lever system together as the press is opened.

It is to be noted that with my improved construction l obtain a very considerable initial pressure between the mold and the head, and therefore a short stroke of the lever 24 is all that is necessary to produce the linal pressure necessary to complete the hat forming operation.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In a hat press having` a base and frame, a pressure head supported by the frame, a hat mold mounted in the frame and movable toward yand from the head, a shaft ournaled in the base, an operating lever fixed to the shaft and connections between said shaft and mold for moving said mold to engage the head upon oscillation of said shaft, said connect-ions comprising a lever fixed to the shaft, a lever pivoted to the mold and a member pivoted to both levers so as to act as .a link for transmitting motion between said levers during the major portion of the closing movement of the press, said member pivoting about said shaft during t-he last portion of said movement and thereafter moving as one piece with said operaing lever. A

2. In a hat press having a base and a frame, a pressure head supported by the frame, a bearing member supported by the base, a hollow plunger telescoping into said bearing member, a hat mold carried by the plunger, the plunger and bearing having Cil bearing Contact at points vertically widely separated and means located within the plunger for moving the plunger to open and close the press.

3. In a hat press having a base and a frame, a pressure head supported by the frame, a centrally supported hollow plunger, a hat mold mounted thereon, a shaft journalled in the base, an operating lever lixed to the shaft and connections therefrom including a lever pivoted centrally within the plunger for moving said plunger and mold to and from the pressure head.

4. In a hat press according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for positively disengaging the member from the shaft during the return movement of the operating lever.

5. In a hat press, a base and a head supporting frame, a mold movable to and from the head, a hollow plunger for carrying the mold and forming the support and guiding means therefor, a lever pivoted centrally within the plunger, and means for operating the lever.

6. In a hat press, a base and a head supporting frame, a mold movable to and from the head, a hollow plunger for carrying the mold, a lever pivoted centrally within the plunger, means for operating the lever, and widely spaced bearings carried by the base for engaging the plunger and guiding itin its movements.

7 In a hat press having a base and frame, a pressure head supported by the frame a bearing member supported by the base, a hollow plunger telescoping into said bearing member, a hat mold carried by the plunger and supported solely thereby, and a lever pivoted centrally within the plunger for moving the plunger to close and open the press.

Signed at New York, New York, this 4th day of August, 1930.

GANDOLFO CIPRIANO. i 

